Can opener



Feb. 27, 1968 H. GONTAR 3,370,744

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 22, 1965 R \M I J INVENTOR. h ,J 6 #595527 awn/7:4/4 57 United States Patent The present invention relatesto an improvedcan opener and, more particularly, to an improved can opener adapted tobe actuated by a key in removing selected portions of a can top toprovide access to the can interior and, accordingly, its contents.

The recent introduction on the market of the snap open beverage canopeners has experienced considerable success. Openers of this typegenerally include a lever or tab riveted to a weakened section of thecan top. In order to open and remove the weakened portion to permitaccess to the can interior, the tab need only be lifted and pulled.Unfortunately, a number of disadvantages exist with these commercialopeners. A'considerable amount of exertion and the expenditure of largeamounts of energy is usually required to lift and pull the tab.Naturally, certain individuals particularly women will experiencedifiiculty in opening the can. The' size, shape and gauge of the tab issuch that unintentional cutting of ones fingers may ensue during theopening operation.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide amodified snap open can opener which takes advantage of a key the sizeand shape of which permits more leverage and more body thereby renderingthe key more readily graspable to easily open the can withoutexperiencing the attendant disadvantages of prior art openers of thetype discussed in the'above. i i

Another object is to provide a can opener of this type which isinherently safe to manipulate while maintaining the attractive featuresof the snap open can opener without resulting'in any appreciableincrease in the cost of the can or the sealing of its contents.

A member extends from the weakened section to provide a means forinterconnecting the weakened section with a key. This connection mayprovide for either sliding, rotational or other type of movement of thekey such that the key is shiftable from a position substantially withinthe confines of the can top to a position extending therefrom. In thelatter position, the key is adapted to be manually grasped and thenturned to twist the weakened section to forcibly remove the section andprovide access to the can interior.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of can opener in which a keyhas slidable interengagement with a rivet extending from the weakenedsection of the can top with the usual shipping condition of the keyshown in solid lines and its extended position at which it is adapted tobe twisted for purposes of removing the weakened section shown inphantom;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG.1 showing the raised inclined stififeners for facilitating the twistingand removing of the weakened section;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is another top plan view showing the key in an extended positionand the weakened section being twisted in the process of removing itfrom the can top;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of canopener in which a key has slidable intergagement with a coiled memberfixed to and extending from the weakened section;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of can opener in whicha key has pivotal interengagement with a rivet extending from theweakened section which in this embodiment is shown to be in the form ofa continuous relatively narrow annular strip adapted to be twisted bythe extended key shown in phantom; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring initially to the embodiment of can opener illustrated in FIGS.1 to 4, a can 10 is shown. This can includes the usual cylindrical sidewalls 12 and base (not shown) together with the top 14 modified inaccordance with the teachings of this invention. In this connection, thetop is provided with a weakened section 16 which will assume theillustrated configuration for certain applications to beveragecontaining cans. The manner of providing the weakened periphery for thissection is vwithin the confines of the can top 14 and in extendedposition at which it may be readily grasped and manually turned forpurposes of removing the weakened section 16.

In order to facilitate and attain these positions, the key may beslightly bowed, 18S clearly shown in FIG. 3. The key 26 :is providedwith an elongated slot 28 intermediate its ends for receiving the shankportion of the rivet 18 to thereby facilitate the connection of the key26 to the rivet 18 while maintaining relative sliding movementtherebetween. The key 26 is also provided with a finger gripping handle30 adapted to be manually grasped to facilitate turning thereof andconsequent twisting of the weakened section 16.

In this connection, the can top 16 is provided with a pair of opposedraised stiffeners 32 and 34 against which the key 26 is adapted to beforced to supplement the mechanical advantage in turning the key andtwisting the weakened section 16. Towards this end, each of thestiffeners 32 and 34 are provided with inclined faces 36 and 38,respectively, at the leading end of the stifieners for initialengagement with the key 26.

When in a retracted position, the key 26 is within the confines of thecan top 16 and will not disturb the usual manner of stacking the cansone on top of the other. In order to obtain access to the can interior,the key 26 need only be shifted outwardly such that the handle 30extends beyond the periphery of the can top 16. In this position, thehandle 30 need only be turned to twist the weakened section 16 about thekey. In this manner, the weakened section 16 may be removed and accessgained to the can interior.

In FIGS 5 and 6, another embodiment of can opener is illustrated inwhich like numerals with accompanying primes will be employed todesignate like parts. Thus, the key 26' is interengaged with theweakened section 16' by means of an interposed coiled member 40 whichmay be suitably secured to the weakened section 16 in one of a number ofways including the illustrated soldered or welded connection. The otherend of the member 40 extends through the slot 28' and about the key 26',as

7 shown, while permitting relative sliding movement therebetween. Inorder to open the can the key 26' need only be grasped'and pulledoutwardly beyond the periphcry of the can top 14' and then twisted in amanner similar to that proposed in the previousembodiment whereby thekey 26 rides on the inclined faces 36 and 38 and the remaining portionsof the raised stitfeners 32 and 3 4 to twist the weakened section 16leading to its eventual removal. V 7

' Referring now to the embodiment of can opener illustrated in FIGS. 7and 8, it will be appreciated that the can 10" includes atop 14" havinga weakened section '16" in the form of an annular and relativelycontinuous strip 16". A rivet 18" having two lower flanges 20" and 22"in sealing engagement with the leading end of the weakened section 16"also includes an upper head 24" adapted to engage with surfaces of apivotal key 26". This pivotal movement is facilitated by means ofpreenlarged end 44 of the key 26" which includes a slot 46 adapted toreceive the head 24 of the rivet 18". This slot46 communicates with theopening 48 which together define flange 50 and 52 against which the baseof the head 24" is adapted to rest. Once the enlargement 44 mounted onthe head of the rivet 24", the open end of one or bothof the slots 46and opening 48 may be swaged or otherwise suitably reduced toprevent'disassociation of the key 26" and rivet 18".

In thenormal position for shipment and commercial distribution, the key26" will be pivoted to an inner position within the confines of the cantop 14". Where desired, this position may be maintained through theapplication of a suitable strip of adhesive or the 'like. When it isdesired to obtain access to the can interior, the key 26" is pivoted sothat the handle 30" extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the cantop 14". In this position, the handle need only be rotated to twist theweakened section 16" about the key 26". In this manner, the entire topof the can or at least a substantial part thereof is adapted to beremoved. Obviously, a can opening means of this type is peculiarlysuited for other than the beverage type ofcontainers'. f

'Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are mostefiectively attained. Although several somewhat preferred embodiments ofthis invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, itshould be understood that this invention is in no sense limited therebyand its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. i

I im

1. A sealed container comprising: a top; sidewalls and a bottom defininga sealed interior compartment, the top hav n a wea ened s st w ada d oe. qr b y IP- moved from the top to provide access to the interiorcompartment; key engaging means extending from the weaktened section; anelongated substantially rigid key including surfaces defining anelongated slot inter-mediate its ends for receiving saidgkey engagingmeans, a finger gripping portion at one end, and connecting meansdefined by surfaces of said key for connecting the key to the keyengaging means; and adjustment means defined by the surfaces of said keydefining said slot and said key ena n mean r Pe mi n adj me of the eyena ng means r m a pos t s nt a y wi hi .cqnfine 9 h top to an e ended pi n on t t p to provide increased leverage ofthe key whereupon theweakened section is adapted to be readily severed from the top bymanually turning the key and twisting the weakened scction about theother end of said key.

2 The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the top of the canincludes raised beveled wedgin-gsurfaces against which the said otherend of said key is adaptedto engage upon manual turning of the key tofacilitate the twisting o f the weakenedjsection with relative ease.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the key engagingmeans is a rivet having a lower end in sealing engagement with surfacesof the weakened section of the top and an upper head projecting beyondthe top for engagement withthe key.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the key engagingmeans includes a eoiled member having one end connected with theweakened section and another end coiled about the key.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the top issubstantially circular and the weakened section beinga continuousannular str'ipwhich upon removal sevens t e enti e P- References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 581,937 5/1897 Kinsey 22 t)-54 2,029,328 2/ 36Liung rom 2 0- 2 029, 29 2/ 1 936 Liungstrom V 220,-54 3,225,957 12/1265Huth V 220-54 3,25 ,425 5/ 19,616 Stec ,et al- 220- IHERQ 5- common P mmE n G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SEALED CONTAINER COMPRISING: A TOP; SIDEWALLS AND A BOTTOM DEFININGA SEALED INTERIOR COMPARTMENT, THE TOP HAVING A WEAKENED SECTION ADAPTEDTO BE FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THE TOP TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIORCOMPARTMENT; KEY ENGAGING MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE WEAKENDED SECTION;AND ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID KEY INCLUDING SURFACES DEFINING ANELONGATED SLOT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS FOR RECEIVING SAID KEY ENGAGINGMEANS, A FINGER GRIPPING PORTION AT ONE END, AND CONNECTING MEANSDEFINED BY SURFACES OF SAID KEY FOR CONNECTING THE KEY TO THE KEYENGAGING MEANS; AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS DEFINED BY THE SURFACES OF SAID KEYDEFINING SAID SLOT AND SAID KEY ENGAGING MEANS FOR PERMITTING ADJUSTMENTOF THE KEY ENGAGING MEANS FOR A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN CONFINESOF THE TOP TO AN EXTENDED POSITION BEYOND THE TOP TO PROVIDE INCREASEDLEVERAGE OF THE KEY WHEREUPON THE WEAKENED SECTION IS ADAPTED TO BEREADILY SEVERED FROM THE TOP BY MANUALLY TURNING THE KEY AND TWISTINGTHE WEAKENED SECTION ABOUT THE OTHER END OF SAID KEY.